


Cry Out For a Hero

by Yaboybutternubs



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Established Relationship, F/M, Humor, M/M, Multi, Mystery, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Songfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:21:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25122340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yaboybutternubs/pseuds/Yaboybutternubs
Summary: It is the hour of retribution! The end of dark despair!God's sent avenger electrifies the air!The kingdom of Novoselic calls for aide, and Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars, responds!Fortunately, his sidekicks are in tow to ensure the job actually gets done.
Relationships: Harukawa Maki/Momota Kaito, Harukawa Maki/Momota Kaito/Saihara Shuichi, Harukawa Maki/Saihara Shuichi, Momota Kaito/Saihara Shuichi, Sonia Nevermind/Tanaka Gundham
Comments: 9
Kudos: 20





	1. Come One, Come All

**Author's Note:**

> Mostly based on some events in the talent development program and all the shitty metal music I listen to  
> enjoy  
> or dont im not a cop

“Come on, you meanies! I said I was sorry!”

Kaito’s fist came down on Kokichi’s jaw as he held the shorter boy by the collar, but this only further incited his crocodile tears.

“That’s what you said the last time you pulled a stunt like this!” Kaito shouted as he brought Kokichi closer to his face, though which one of Kokichi’s many antics that Kaito was referring to was anyone’s guess. The supreme leader had made a notable reputation for himself as a troublemaker during his time at hope’s peak, but this went beyond his typical childish endeavors.

“Ow ow ow! Shumai, make him stop!” Kokichi begged as he turned to Shuichi for aide.

Shuichi had always hated that nickname for how childish it sounded, though he supposed that such an intonation was rather appropriate given the individual that came up with it. “Kaito, come on. You’ve done enough. I’m sure he’s learned his lesson.” Shuichi interjected, knowing full well Kokichi had learned no lesson whatsoever.

Shuichi’s ability to reign in the worst of Kaito’s bouts of righteous anger was an ultimate talent in and of itself. It was mostly likely just an effect of the detective’s calm personality, though it could have also been his analytical nature that encouraged Kaito to calm down and think things through. Regardless of the reason for it, this level-headedness seemed to have rubbed off on Kaito somewhat during their time at Hope’s Peak.

The astronaut sighed deeply.

“Yeah... You’re right.” He relented as he literally tossed Kokichi aside.

“You guys are the worst!” Shouted the prankster before throwing the diamond necklace that had started this whole affair at the ground in front of Sonia. She made no attempt to pick it up, her gaze fixed on the small thief that lay before her.

Whenever Sonia did something, the way she carried herself made it seem that whatever task she was assigning herself to was the most important thing in the world at that moment. When doing tasks around the school with her friends, everyone would stop to watch, as if she exuded some sort of aura that came with being royalty. When she smiled, the whole room would be lit up. When she cried, the heavens would flood.

When she was angry, like in this moment, it truly felt as though whoever had incurred her wrath would simply perish on the spot.

“Though, in that meathead’s defense, I was lying about being sorry.” The ultimate supreme leader would not be so easily phased.

“Just get out of here you damn brat!”

Kokichi scampered off with a smug grin plastered on his face, already planning his next scheme.

“Sorry that ended up taking so long.” Shuichi apologized as he picked the necklace up off the ground for Sonia.

Finding out that Kokichi had been the one to steal the necklace was easy, though the calling card depicting a clown mask and pair of dice that he’d left in her locker indicated that this was by design. From there, they’d simply tracked him down to his dorm. He’d manage to lead them on a chase for a surprising amount of time, giggling like a child through its entire duration. It had taken almost the entirety of their free period that day to corner him on the top floor of the building.

“The fault lies not with you, inquisitive one.” Gundham reassured him. “It was most foolish of us to assume that the snake-tongued prince of lies would have allowed this to end in anything other than a furious battle!”

Kaito pummeling the poor boy until he apologized wasn’t quite the furious battle that Gundham was describing, but Shuichi figured that this was beside the point.

“Indeed, I must thank you for your help today!” Sonia said as her eyes shone like the diamonds on the priceless jewelry she held in her hand. “He has been ‘hella’ annoying as of late.”

Gundham clenched his fists in anger. “That fiend! To think he would dare have absconded off with the enchanted necklace of Kairos Fateweaver!” He turned to Sonia. “Truly our unholy union would have been in shambles, had his foul trepidations come to pass.”

“Yes, surely even a scoundrel like him should have realized that necklace was important to us. To think that he would have ruined our wedding so readily…” Sonia shook her head. “His crude nature knows no bounds.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Kaito agreed as he wiped the dirt on his jacket that had accumulated on it from chasing Kokichi down. “Just let us know if that little brat ever gives you trouble again.” He grinned and gave the couple a thumbs up. “Me and my sidekick will come running!”

“And indeed, we shall. Now, sally forth, Gundham! Miss Yukizome would be most displeased should we be late to class again.” Sonia proclaimed and then promptly marched off.

“I guess we should get going too, Kaito.” Suggested Shuichi as he began to walk away.

“Wait!” Gundham shouted at the pair, having stayed behind to converse with them despite Sonia having already left the hall.

“Is something wrong?” Shuichi asked. It was rare for the reclusive animal breeder to request the time of his classmates, especially when he was not in the company of his girlfriend. If he felt the need to get their attention so suddenly and with so little of his usual theatrics, it must mean this was something important.

“My dark queen has considered you two to be trusted allies, ones that even the hell-spawned likes of me can turn to in times of darkness.” He looked up from the ground with a scowl on his face. “And yet, in this dark hour she casts spells of illusion to hide her true feelings.”

Kaito mumbled for a bit before turning to face his eccentric classmate. “Hey, uh, no offense, but-“

“Something’s troubling Sonia and she won’t talk about it, but you think we can help her. Am I right?”

Sometimes it took nothing short of the ultimate detective to figure out what it was Gundham was trying to say.

“Indeed, the burden of being the queen of darkness is a heavy one to bear. I suspect that her entire cursed realm may be on the brink of death and despair!” Gundham shouted with enthusiasm, though the look in his eyes betrayed his feelings of worry for Sonia.

“You mean her whole country’s in danger?” Kaito asked, finally beginning to pick up on his eccentric classmate’s mannerisms.

He nodded his head solemnly. “More and more frequently she has abandoned us without warning to make the great journey into the far beyond of her home world, though even the divination of my cursed eye cannot see her reasoning behind these disappearances.” Gundham began to fiddle with his scarf out of nervousness, prompting his Four Dark Devas to reveal themselves.

“It pains me to say this, but my demon beasts and I have no hope of solving this on our own. In such times, we must turn to you mere mortals for aide!” He struck a dramatic pose, and his hamsters did the same. “I beg of you! **From sorrow’s land, our bleeding hearts cry out for a hero**!”

Shuichi pulled the brim of his cap down to avoid Gundham’s gaze. “Uhm, we appreciate that you’re in trouble, but I don’t think we can help, given that this is probably some kind of political- “

“Don’t sweat it, Gundham! My sidekick and I can find out what’s wrong, or my name isn’t Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars!” Kaito proclaimed enthusiastically, ending any debate from Shuichi.

“Excellent!” Gundham shouted enthusiastically as he crossed his arms. “The contract is sealed! The dark queen and I shall parlay with you at this location upon the tolling of the bell that proclaims we must return to our dwellings.” He held his fist up in the air and laughed dramatically as he walked off.

Kaito scratched his head. “He means he wants to meet up after class today, right?”

Shuichi chuckled as he answered. “You’re getting better at this.”

* * *

“So, what is it you would like to show me, Gundham?”

Concern and confusion grew on Sonia’s face as Kaito and Shuichi turned the corner to greet their friends. The pained expression on Gundham’s face betrayed his intents.

“Forgive me, my dark queen, for I have made deals with mortal folk behind your back! I have exchanged secrets which you most likely would have wanted hidden.” He hid his face in his scarf out of shame as his Dark Devas showed their bellies as a sign of submissiveness. Shuichi briefly amused himself by wondering whether the hamsters were trained to do this or if they were just that well synced with their caretaker's thoughts.

“Oh no!” Sonia gasped. “Gundham, you mean to tell me you told them about Maki and I-“

“Oh, you know Maki-roll? That’s cool.” Kaito said as he ran his fingers through his hair.

Sonia’s calm demeanor returned to her. “Ah, so that was not it.” She tilted her head quizzically. “Then, what did you three discuss?” She seemed eager to move on from the topic of Maki before anyone would further dwell on it. Any other detective would have questioned this evasiveness or investigated their relationship in secret, but Shuichi never like prying into the lives of his friends like that. Regardless, Shuichi couldn’t deny he was curious about what sort of scandalous relationship the ultimate princess could have with the ultimate child caregiver.

“If it makes you feel any better, Gundham didn’t give us much of an explanation.” The detective informed her in an attempt to ease her worries. “He just said you’ve been travelling to and from Novoselic, and that he’s worried that you haven’t told anyone why.”

Sonia did not respond to this verbally, opting instead to bring her hand to her chin in contemplation. After a moment in her thoughts, she looked up and locked eyes with Gundham. “I don’t appreciate you running behind my back, but I understand your intentions.” Her eyes turned to Shuichi. “Besides, I think the help of an outsider might be useful.”

“Wait, really?” Kaito asked, astonished that he was actually correct about Sonia needing them in particular. The astronaut’s big heart (and less than stellar brain) had given him the habit of trying to take on all his friends’ problems as though they were his own, though even he knew that it was possible to meet his limit.

However, Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars, rarely concerned himself with such negative thoughts as limitations.

“Yes, ‘fo sho’!” She said, her look of determination unwavering in the face of her butchering of outdated slang. “But you must not tell another soul of the plight my people face. My family is already having enough trouble maintaining its image.”

“And I take it your family’s ‘image’ is part of the reason you keep leaving unannounced?” Shuichi inquired as he adjusted the brim of his hat.

“Correct. Novoselic has always been reclusive by nature, though I have done my best to encourage my family to change this. Despite my efforts, my announcement that I planned to marry a foreigner was not taken well outside of my family.” She let out a heavy sigh before continuing. “In addition, a terrible incident that spiraled out of control happened about a year ago.”

Shuichi surmised that this policy of isolation had been the primary reason for Sonia’s desire to attend a school on the other side of the world. It only seemed natural that a young girl from such a small, seclusive land where she was essentially worshiped would seek a faraway land where her title had no meaning. He still couldn’t figure out how this led to her proposing to an animal breeder who wore colored contacts, but he supposed stranger things have happened.

After all, Shuichi didn’t have time to dwell on such idle thoughts with a case to solve.

“Could you tell us more about this ‘terrible incident’? This seems important.” Shuichi asked, hoping that this wasn’t some sort of national secret he was unintentionally involving himself in. The poor boy could barely handle the average homicide case, let alone some sort of grand conspiracy.

“Well, the details of the event are top secret, so I can’t discuss them here.” Sonia elaborated. “But I can tell you what is publicly known of the event.”

Shuichi covered his mouth to hide his expression of fear. Before he could dwell on the implications of the words ‘top secret’ for too long, Kaito wrapped his arm around his shoulder. This earned a blush from the bashful detective, but he chalked it up to his emotions running high at the moment. Surely nothing else could be going through his head at the warm feeling of his friend’s reassuring embrace.

“Did you hear that, sidekick? She said it’s ‘top secret’!” The enthusiasm in his voice was palpable, and Shuichi couldn’t help but wonder if Kaito understood the fact that he was mortal. “We’re gonna be secret agents! How cool is that?!”

Then again, he would never have come out of his shell during his time at Hope’s Peak if their personalities hadn’t been so compatible.

“Silence, witless worms! The dark queen has yet to inform you of her sacred mission for you bold adventurers.” Shuichi couldn’t quite figure out why Gundham had so readily alternated between an insult and a compliment, but that wasn’t important right now.

“Right, sorry.” Kaito hurriedly apologized, allowing Sonia to begin her story.

“Thank you. As I stated, this event happened about a year ago, around the time I had begun my enrollment at Hope’s Peak. The noble Ornstein family was just about to welcome a new member into their house through marriage, when the proposal of the family’s only heir was brought to ruin by his hand-raised makango having been stolen.”

“Makango?” Kaito asked. “Isn’t that a country in Africa?” He sighed as he crossed his arms. “I thought your country was in Europe.”

“No, Kaito,” Shuichi chuckled as he corrected the astronaut. “That’s the Republic of Congo. A makango is a fruit- “

“I shall allow this terrible attempt at humor to assault my ears no longer!” Shouted Gundham as his hamsters struck defiant poses while perched on his shoulders. His anger only confused Shuichi, who was just trying to correct his friend.

“Hear me, foul knaves, and listen well!” He crossed his arms as his hamsters returned to his scarf. “A makango is mighty demon beast that hails from the lands of my dark queen. They will multiply into perfect copies of themselves when frightened, though few beings can manage such a feat.”

“There are animals that can do that?” Shuichi asked, rather frightened by the implication that he might have to handle such a dangerous creature.

“Yes, and this property makes them quite dangerous if left to run amok. For this reason, no one from outside Novoselic can own them, as they require special care.” Sonia reassured them, though Shuichi didn’t feel reassured at all. “They are also bred for their beautiful furs, and they make great house pets!”

“I’m just gonna take your word on that last part…” Kaito interjected, his uncertainty about this nowhere near as visible as Shuichi’s, but still visible.

“And you are a fool for doing so!” Shouted Gundham as he began to blush. “They are incredibly soft to the touch, should they choose to grace you with it.”

“Wait,” Shuichi began, his thoughts already loaded with questions. “I thought you said no one from outside your kingdom is allowed to own these creatures. Does Gundham own one?”

Sonia let out a long sigh as she tried to find the right words. “He does not ‘own’ one, per-say. However, as it is tradition to for nobles in Novoselic to gift their partners with Makangos, he has spent time ‘chillin’ with a golden makango I raised throughout my childhood. It will make planning the wedding much easier once it has familiarized itself with him.”

“I see…” Answered Shuichi as he fiddled with the brim of his cap. “Could you continue your story?”

“Very well, I apologize for getting sidetracked.” The princess cleared her throat before continuing. “Anyways, the makango that the young Ornstein had plan to gift to his bride vanished the night before the wedding. The ceremony was called off as a result, and the family is now a shadow of its former self after facing the ridicule that came with failing to protect the most important part of any Novoselic wedding. Since then, incidents of Makangos being stolen or going missing have increased dramatically, and our country’s traditions are at stake!” She held her hands close to her chest as a look of sorrow formed on her face and Gundham moved closer to comfort him. “The people have turned to the royal family for answers, but so far we can provide none.”

Sorrow turned to fear as she looked at Gundham, then back to Kaito and Shiuchi. “The worst part is, we fear that this fate may befall our wedding, too! If my- if our makango were to be stolen, it would be the end of the Nevermind family’s relations with the people! We would be turned into a farce!”

Kaito, not missing a beat, grinned and flashed them a thumbs up. “Don’t worry, that won’t happen! Me and my sidekicks are gonna save the day!” Shuichi really, truly did envy the man’s confidence in the face of impossible odds.

“Huh? Sidekicks?” Shuichi asked, wondering if Kaito was referring to he thought he was referring to.

“Well, yeah, Maki roll’s coming with us!” Kaito exclaimed as though it were a matter of fact.

“Oh, miss Harukawa shall be joining you? That is most ‘lit’!” Sonia said with stars in her eyes.

Gundham smirked as he let out a low, throaty chuckle. “Good, it seems we have a legendary party at out beck and call.”

“Indeed we do. Shall we meet tomorrow to discuss the arrangement of your transportation to Novoselic?” Sonia asked, though the fact that transportation apparently wouldn’t be as simple as buying a plane ticket was only making Shuichi more nervous than he already was.

“Sounds like a plan!” Kaito exclaimed as he began to walk away. From his mannerisms throughout the conversation, one would think he had simply been planning a vacation. He motioned for Shuichi to follow him. “Come on sidekick, lets meet up with Maki for training while there’s still daylight left.”

Shuichi hurried behind him and made a mental note for himself to ask Maki just what about her made both Kaito and Sonia believe she would be indispensable for this investigation.

He then made a second mental note to figure out just what he had gotten himself into.


	2. A Journey Awaits You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maki learns of the task she's been volunteered for and thinks back on her time at Hope's Peak

Though she would never admit it, Maki had always enjoyed the time she spent training with Kaito and Shuichi. At first, she had only agreed to this daily routine to get Kaito off her back and keep in shape, but slowly found herself smiling at the thought of the two men she trained with. Companionship was something her upbringing hadn’t allowed, so she never realized how conducive exercise was to the formation of bonds.

She finished her reps and sat up to look at her exercise partners. Shuichi sat up moments later, and the look on his face told her that he’d struggled quite a bit to finish his exercises. Kaito was simply lying on his back and staring at the night sky. He obviously hadn’t completed the exercises he’d assigned to himself, but Maki learned a long time ago that wasn’t the point of these gatherings. As Shuichi opened his mouth to comment on Kaito’s laziness, Maki shot him a soft grin and shook her head. Shuichi decided not to say anything after this wordless exchange.

“The stars sure are great tonight, don’t you guys think?” Kaito asked, not looking away from the night sky before him.

Maki had to admit, he was right. She’d never been one to appreciate scenic views and were it not for her friends with her at the moment, she would never have bothered to notice nights like this. There weren’t as many stars as the could be, of course, given that Hope’s Peak was located in the middle of an urban center, but it was still a nice view on nights with clear skies.

Unfortunately, Maki was to curious about her friends’ whereabouts earlier today to idly discuss Kaito’s dreams of going to space.

“So why were you two late today?” She asked.

Shuichi’s face tensing up confirmed her suspicions that this was most likely something she needed to know about. Kaito, however, didn’t break a sweat.

“Sonia and Gundham, those two from the other class that’re getting married, invited us to Novoselic!” Kaito’s response would have made anyone else think that this was some sort of glorified social call, but Maki had a feeling that things wouldn’t be so simple.

“Kaito, come on, it’s a little more important than that.” Shuichi interjected.

“Yeah, yeah, I was getting to that stuff.” He waved his hand at Shuichi dismissively. “Anyways, Sonia told us her whole country’s in danger cause someone kept stealing their animals or something, so we’re gonna go there and fix it.” As Kaito scratched the back of his head, Maki couldn’t help but marvel that this was the man who’d been accepted into the space program as a teenager.

“What do you mean ‘we’?” Maki asked, already knowing the answer.

“Sonia was pretty insistent that you should come with us.” Shuichi explained, though the look on his face betrayed the confusion caused by his own statement. Maki had hoped that her “Professional relationship” with Sonia wouldn’t end up interfering with her school life now that she’d finally met people she could call friends, but wetwork is a risky business by nature, especially with such high profile employers. Overlaps of this nature were inevitable.

“Anyways,” Kaito began, cutting through the melancholy thoughts that had begun to fester in Maki’s mind. “I gotta go get some grub after working up a sweat like that. You can finish telling maki roll about Sonia’s story, right?” He didn’t wait for an answer before sauntering off to the dining hall in search of food.

“I don’t think he actually understands what it is he signed us up for.” Shuichi told her as he put his cap back on. “Though honestly, I don’t completely get it either.”

As Shuichi explained the case of the missing makangos, Maki realized it was a well-made decision on Sonia’s part to suggest the invitation of Maki. Though Shuichi was probably one of the most intelligent people in Hope’s Peak and Kaito was in remarkably good shape despite his tendency to slack off during training, neither of these things translated to actual combat prowess. They’d need someone who could defend them when they inevitably dug up secrets that many would rather leave undiscovered.

Unfortunately, this meant she’d inevitably have to tell Shuichi about her real talent. Maki could tell he already had a healthy suspicion about her true nature, but she’d still hoped she be able to, if all other avenues of secrecy failed her, simply use social conventions to keep him from asking questions. These methods would have been enough in their normal school life, but in potentially life threatening situations Maki knew she would be forced to choose between her secrecy and his life.

However, that would be a conversation for another time. If Maki could put the reveal off for another day, she would do so with enthusiasm. After all, it was in her nature as an assassin to slither in the dark and avoid confrontation.

Maki chuckled and responded. “It wouldn’t be Kaito if he wasn’t trying to solve everyone’s problems for them.”

Shuichi eased up a little and laughed at her remark. It was nice to see him relaxed for once. He had a terrible habit of getting lost in his own head, and it would often take outside influence to get him to lighten up again.

“Still…” He continued as that dark expression returned to his face. “Was it really a good idea for us to take this case on? I really think we might be in over our heads.” He fell back on his habit of fiddling with his cap to avoid eye contact.

“Come on now, we’re ultimates, aren’t we?” Maki asked as she tried to put her thoughts in to words. She had never been good at cheering people up, but she couldn’t shake her desire to see him smile again. “It’s our job to do these sorts of extraordinary things.”

His expression didn’t make any noticeable changes, so she continued. “I get what’s going through your head right now; That nervousness when you’re about to enter what might be a life or death situation.”

“Um, why do you know what that’s like?” A nervous grin grew on Shuichi’s face as he asked the question.

Maki grew frustrated as she ran her fingers through her pigtails. “That’s not the point. I’m trying to cheer you up, idiot.”

“R-Right! Sorry…” His voice trailed off as he looked at the ground. This definitely wasn’t the best pep talk Maki had ever given.

Refusing to let this night end on such a sour note, she changed the subject to the first thing that came to mind.

“So, how did you and Kaito first meet?” Of course, Maki had heard this story before, but only from Kaito. It would be nice to have it told from the perspective of a much more levelheaded person.

“It’s really not that interesting of a story.” Shuichi said as he sat up. He relaxed his posture slightly as he began. “We met on the first day of class right after Miss Gekkogahara…” His voice became filled with uncertainty. “Wait, are we actually supposed to call her Usami?” He paused for a moment with his hand on his chin before continuing. “Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. Anyways, it was right after Usami had us go around the room and introduce ourselves.”

Maki remembered that day well, though most of that memory was just her being annoyed by the noise her classmates were constantly making. If she had known that where she sat on the first day was going to be her assigned seat for the whole year, she would never taken that empty seat next to Miu. If that girl tried to tell Maki about her newest “aphrodisiac” inventions one more time she’d do a lot more than _tell_ Miu what her real talent was.

“Kaito had just gotten finished telling everyone about how he was the ultimate astronaut when the bell rang for lunch. I guess Kokichi must have figured he was an easy target, because he kept following Kaito around and making fun of his hair and his jacket.”

“Yeah, that sounds like that damn brat.” Maki said. Kokichi had earned far more enemies than friends in his time at Hope’s Peak, and Maki was very much part of the rule rather than the exception in this case.

Shuichi laughed at Maki using the exact same “nickname” for Kokichi as Kaito. “No wonder you two hit it off.” After a moment of reminiscence, he continued. “Anyways, what happened after that isn’t anything you haven’t seen before. The two of them were about to get into a fight when I stepped in to calm him down. After that, he just kept singing my praises for the rest of the day and called me his new sidekick.”

“I guess it’s not surprising that you two get along.” Maki mused. “He really needs someone like you in his life.”

Shuichi’s face turned bright red at this remark. “Y-You really think so?”

“Yeah…” Maki replied as she turned away to hide her melancholy expression and cheeks that had turned a similar color to Shuichi’s. “He needs both of us.”

Shuichi’s expression brightened up. “Yeah, we’d both be lost without you.”

There was that smile Maki had started this whole conversation just to see.

“Anyways, what about you two?” Shuichi asked, despite Maki internally hoping that he would avoid the subject. She knew in the back of her mind that the conversation would inevitably turn to this subject, given how she’d started it. Regardless, it made her uncomfortable to speak of such sensitive subjects.

_It was late in the evening on their first day at Hope’s Peak. Maki had avoided investigating her lab until now to avoid drawing unwanted attention to her talent. She wasn’t necessarily afraid of someone taking revenge against for her talent in and of itself, more so the inconvenience that any half-baked attempts at justice would bring. This school was the first shot at normality that life had deemed fit to grant her, and she wasn’t about to waste it by making herself into the boogeyman in her classmate’s eyes._

“I was out late at night by myself during our first day here.” She began, desperately attempting to fabricate a story that might be able to satisfy the curiosity of the ultimate detective.

_The sheer variety of weaponry available in the lab was almost as impressive as the fact that all of this had been entrusted to a single highschool girl. Guns and explosives of every variety were shelved alongside poisons and ornate melee weaponry. The exception, of course, was that there were no swords of any sort. Kizakura had obviously done his research._

“It was while I was checking out my lab for the first time, and I’d forgotten to close the door like I normally do.”

_Maki had noticed the door was open from the opposite end of the room and got up to go close it. Unfortunately, right as she approached the door, none other than Kaito Momota walked by. His face lit up like the stars he always rambled about upon seeing the face of a classmate, then his expression grew worrisome as he saw the contents of her lab._

“Kaito saw me as I was leaving and invited me to train after he said I would be his new sidekick.”

_“So how exactly does all this stuff relate to taking care of toddlers?” Kaito asked as he walked into her lab. He stopped in his tracks as the realization dawned on him. “Wait a minute…”_

_“Yes, I’m not actually the ultimate child caregiver. I’m the ultimate assassin.” Maki explained, the words weighing heavy on her heart._

_“Oh, ok! That makes sense…” Kaito replied as he ran his fingers through his hair. Maki could tell in an instant that Kaito was the kind of man that it took a lot to shake up, but his nonchalance was astounding._

_“What do you mean it makes sense?” Maki wasn’t as offended by this remark as was confused._

_“I remember the first time I saw you, I was like ‘wow, she’s definitely killed someone before’, and I guess I was right!” Kaito exclaimed, his excitement stopping just short of having him jump up and down._

_“What!? What’s that supposed to mean?” Maki demanded._

_“Don’t sweat the small stuff like that.” He grinned and gave her a thumbs up. “Anyways, how about being my newest sidekick? We could train together!”_

_She supposed this was as good of a way as any to keep her physique in good condition._

“Well that story…” Shuichi sighed as he tried to find the right words. “Wasn’t as eventful as I thought it’d be.” If he was disappointed by the lack of information about the inside of her lab, he didn’t do anything to indicate it.

Silence overtook the pair as they fell back to staring at the night sky. Kaito was as brash and reckless as they come, but neither of them could deny him being a positive influence in their lives. He’d helped Shuichi learn to stand up for himself, and taught Maki about the importance companionship all through simply being around them.

“I think he may have just gone to bed.” Shuichi broke the silence with his observation.

Despite all of positive qualities, these sorts of stunts weren’t out of the ordinary for him.


	3. BONUS: City Baby Attacked By Rats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaede turns to unconventional sources of information to stave off her anxieties about Shuichi's mysterious "Field trip".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> felt like I've been neglecting this fic lately so heres a side story thats got nothing to do with kaito/maki/shuichi or the overarching plot in general so you can skip this if u want  
> the next chapter's getting posted in like 5 minutes

Kaede Akamatsu had never considered herself a superstitious person. She was optimistic, sure, but she was not a fool. She always tried to consider every possibility when faced with what others would consider to be supernatural. Shuichi had taught her that. They were been the best of friends from an early age. She wasn’t quite on the same level as him in deductive reasoning and intellectual skill, but she was far sharper than most people around her assume.

This gap between them in skills was the primary reason Kaede knew virtually nothing of her childhood friends’ reasons for suddenly going on a trip across the world with two of their classmates. Due to the way Kaito described it, she had initially assumed it was some sort of vacation or opportunity to study abroad. However, Shuichi and Maki would only speak of their impending leave of absence in brief and hushed words, if at all. Kaede’s increasingly aggressive attempts at questioning any of the three never yielded any fruit. She’d gotten Kaito to say something about the three of them having been personally invited by Sonia, but this explanation was interrupted by Maki dragging him away by the ear.

Kaede rationalized to herself that desperate times will call for desperate measures as the smell of incense filled her nostrils and she struggled to see in front of her due to the room’s deliberately poor lighting.

“What’s this?” Angie exclaimed as she noticed Kaede had entered the lab. “Oh me oh my! Welcome, Kaede! You’re just in time for Hiro’s initiation!” She pushed her hands in to her cheeks to puff them up, then pointed to Yasuhiro. He was sitting on an ornate cushion surrounded by a circle of elaborately carved tiki idols.

“Yo, you’re Kaede, right?” The fortune teller asked upon opening his eyes and seeing her gawking at the sight before her. “Any chance you wanna get in on this? Atua said he’d offer me a double points weekend if I brought a friend with me to initiation!”

“Nyahaha! That’s right!” Angie reassured him, bouncing up and down with excitement. “But you and your Initiation Buddy don’t just get double the Atua Coins™, you also receive a free three month subscription to our AtuaCrate™ Service!”

“Seriously, it’s a steal! You gotta get in on this!” Yasuhiro shouted.

Kaede steeled herself. As much as she wanted to know how Angie managed to say the trademark symbol out loud rather than simply saying “trademarked”, time was not on her side. She was here to have their fortune told, nothing more.

“I was just hoping I could get Yasuhiro to tell my fortune.” She said, crossing her arms behind her back to hide how hard she was rubbing her wrists out of anxiety. She walked toward Hiro with a phony smile on her face.

“Oh, hell yeah! Take a seat, Kaede.” He motioned for her to sit in front of the circle of tikis around him. “See normally I’d charge a hundred grand for the services of the ultimate fortune teller, but you seem pretty out of it. How about we cut it down to fifty-“

“Nuh-uh-uh, Hiro.” Angie interrupted him as she leaned forward and wagged her finger in his face. “Remember your contract? You trade in Atua Coins™ now.” A menacing shadow formed over her as sweat trickled down Yasuhiro’s brow.

“Sorry! Sorry!” He prostrated himself before her, then quickly shot back up to explain himself to Kaede. “See uh, part of joining Atua’s Church… trademark… is that I’m not allowed to use money anymore.” He paused for a moment.

“Like, legally.”

He leaned forward slightly.

“Seriously, her lawyers are the real deal.”

He sighed and rubbed his hand through his hair as he got a crystal ball out of his backpack. “So, if you want me to tell your fortune, you’re gonna have to pay in Atua Coins.” He looked at angie with uncertainty. “Uhh, tm?”

“No no no!” Angie explained. “It’s like this; ™!”

“You mean like-“

“So how many Atua Coins does it cost?” Kaede asked. She grew tired of their incessant rambling.

“Atua Coins™.” Angie corrected her. “And it will be for the low, low price of five hundred!”

“Are you kidding?” Yasuhiro protested. “I need those coins something fierce, man! You can’t rob me like this!”

“Nuh-uh, I sure can. It’s in the contract after all.” Angie told him as she waved her brush around nonchalantly.

“Look, I’m not gonna have to sign one of those contracts, am I?” Kaede wanted reassurance that her classmates would be safe more than anything, but this Atua business was putting her fortitude to the test.

“Hmm…” Angie brought the back end of her brush to her chin in contemplation for a moment. “Okay, we’ll just add this to your tab once you join.”

An optimal outcome, as she had no real plans of joining this cult. She agreed to the conditions and Yasuhiro promptly sat his crystal ball on the ground and stared at it in contemplation. His eyes widened and shrank repeatedly as he stared into it. After what felt like ages, he finally looked up from the ball and back at Kaede.

“Don’t worry, those three are totally gonna be okay!” Yasuhiro reassured her. That sentence was a relief in and of itself, but she still wanted details as to what they would be going through.

“Really? How do you know that?” She asked, leaning forward in anticipation.

“I saw a vision of the three of them walking around a museum and they looked like they were having fun. I think I saw one of my classmates there, too.” He explained. “Seriously, don’t worry about them. My thirty percent accuracy hasn’t failed me yet!” He coughed awkwardly. “Well, aside from the other seventy percent of the time…”

“Just thirty percent?” Kaede began to wonder why she dedicated her mind, body and soul to her craft when this man had been accepted into the very same academy through what may as well have been guesswork.

“Don’t worry! Hiro is right.” Angie chimed in as she clasped her hands together in prayer. “Atua has said so.”

“And what makes you so sure of that?” Kaede inquired as she crossed her arms. Normally, she would have patted down her ahoge for sticking up whenever she got angry, but she was too rapt in the conversation to notice.

“Atua says,” She closed her eyes and brought her hands closer to her face. “There is no major character death in the tags.”

...

“Wh… what-“

The door to Angie’s lab trembled as someone outside began to pound on it. Kaede could vaguely make out obscenities and threats of violence from the other side of the door, but the surprisingly thorough sound proofing of the labs censored any details. Angie skipped away into the supply closet of the art room, humming to herself as if her door wasn’t about to fall down.

“Don’t open it!” Yasuhiro shouted as he threw his hands in the air out of fear. “Oh god, I knew they’d find me here eventually!”

“Remember your contract!” Angie cooed from inside the supply closet. “You say ‘Oh, Atua™’ now.” Yasuhiro froze in fear, and Kaede wondered what one could be offered to sign such an obviously predatory legal agreement.

Before she could even consider the possibility of just leaving, the door flew open and Fuyuhiko sauntered in with Peko right behind him. He scanned the room dismissively until he saw Yasuhiro, then grinned with malicious intent.

“There you are, you sneaky son of a bitch! You think you can just steal from the motherfucking Kuzuryu clan like that and get away with it?” He removed his baseball bat from his shoulder and began tapping it against the palm of his hand. “Now, lets take this nice and-“

“Young master, get back!” In the blink of an eye, Peko darted in front of her liege, her bamboo sword at the ready. “I sense the presence of a powerful foe in this room…”

As if on cue, Angie skipped right back out of the supply closet with a chisel. Peko’s eyes widened and the grip on her sword tightened.

“Oh my my! More visitors!” Angie waved at the pair enthusiastically, then put her hands behind her back as she continued. “Hmm, sorry though. Atua™ says his business hours are over.”

“The fuck are you talking about, you little prick?” Fuyuhiko demanded as he clenched his fists. “This ain’t got shit to do with you. Now give us Hiro, he and I have some unfinished business.”

“Now now, don’t you know?” Angie asked as she walked up to Fuyuhiko, chisel in hand. “Those who defy Atua™ will always be punished.” That same shadow she’d used to intimidate Hiro was floating around her again. Sweat dripped down Peko’s forehead as Fuyuhiko clenched his teeth.

“Young master, I suggest we heed her warning.” Peko urged him as she put away her sword.

“Fine, if you say it’s not worth it then I guess it’s not worth it.” Fuyuhiko admitted as he walked back out, glaring at Yasuhiro the whole time. “Now we just gotta find that bastard Kokichi. How has anyone not seen him for three whole fucking days?”

The scene that had just played out before her left Kaede too shellshocked to notice that Angie was standing directly in front of her.

“Yoohoo!” She shouted to get Kaede’s attention as she waved the brush a little to close to Kaede’s face for her liking. “It’s closing time. Bye-yonara!” Before she could reply, Angie took her arm and led her out of the room with a level of force that seemed impossible for her miniscule form. As the door slammed shut behind her, she realized she forgot to ask what a character tag was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok i lied theres a bit of foreshadowing :3


	4. Hear Our Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio arrive in Novoselic and meet the royal family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to update halo 3 came out on pc and completely fucking consumed my life i just love that funky lil master chief

When Shuichi had learned that the case Kaito volunteered his two friends for was an incident on a national scale, he was overcome with anxiety at the many gruesome fates that may very well await him in Novoselic. He was no stranger to peril, of course. He had taken on more than his fair share of cases which involved secrets some would have rather left undiscovered, but this time was different. He would be going to a nation on the other side of the world to investigate a mystery he only partially understood and catch a culprit with access to resources capable of throwing an entire kingdom in to disarray.

Fortunately, he had none other than Kaito Momota, Luminary of the Stars with him, so everything was gonna be okay!

Probably.

Despite Shuichi’s constant worrying about the plane being hijacked or something like that, the group’s flight to Novoselic was pretty uneventful. Kaito talked Shuichi’s ear off about how he could totally fly this plane if it came to that and how there was no way any assassins would try to pull anything on them.

He couldn’t say anything about why he knew they’d be safe given Maki that had made him take a vow of silence on the whole ‘ultimate assassin’ thing. Of course, Maki didn’t need to worry about Kaito spilling her secrets like that. He wouldn’t just rat out his friends!

That, and the fact that Maki was _really_ scary.

Just as Kaito predicted, the plane touched down in the city of Prospero without incident. The trio were finally pulled away from the various accommodations on the private jet that Sonia had been generous enough to provide them with by the sight of the capital city of the kingdom of Novoselic. The city reminded Kaito of some idyllic hamlet from a western fairytale, though the modern utilities and occasional multi-story building gave it a sense of modernity that the city otherwise lacked. Combined with the bright blue sky of that day, it was truly a sight to behold.

It paled in comparison to the stars that Kaito would one day conquer, of course, but it had its own charm.

Maki didn’t seem as charmed by the scenic view as the other two, piquing Kaito’s curiosity. He wordlessly sat up and made his way toward Maki (getting up and moving while a plane is landing or taking off is generally frowned upon, but the ultimate astronaut wasn’t gonna be scared by something as small as turbulence.) who did nothing to acknowledge her presence, but they both knew she could tell he was sitting right next to her.

“You seem nervous.” He remarked as he sat himself down next to her. Maki was seldom prone to these bouts of fear, combined with the fact that she had a strange set of tells for her anxiety meant that few people could tell the difference between this and her usual stoicism.

For example, fidgeting with her pigtails like she was now was always a good indicator that something was wrong. Kaito would not let his sidekick’s worries go unvoiced.

“I’m fine.” Maki replied, lying poorly.

“Oh, come on! You can tell me anything!” Kaito reassured her. It was difficult to get her to come out of her shell, regardless of how much good it would do her.

“I said I’m fine, Kaito.” She snapped as she glared at something behind Kaito. He paid no mind to this gesture, of course.

Kaito put his hands behind his head as he slouched back in his seat. “Is this about the whole talent thing?” Kaito knew he wasn’t the smartest guy, but even he knew she couldn’t hide being a hired killer forever, especially not from the ultimate detective.

“Seriously Kaito, quit it.” Maki urged him as she began to blush.

“Come on, Maki roll. It’s gonna be fine, I promise!” Kaito enthusiastically proclaimed. He vaguely registered Shuichi clearing his throat awkwardly from behind him. “I know you’re scared of what he’ll think of you being the ultimate assassin, but I promise he’s not gonna-“

“Kaito!” She shouted as she slapped him across the face.

“What?” He turned around to see Shuichi staring at the both of them, sweating bullets. He noticed the two of them staring and instinctively covered his face with his cap.

“You, um…” Shuichi continued fiddled with his cap as he struggled to find the right words. “You guys realize I heard that entire conversation, right?”

Kaito just sat there, his mouth agape as he realized why Maki had been so insistent that this conversation be brought to a halt.

“I mean,” Shuichi finally stopped hiding behind his hat as he tried to explain himself. “I kind of already assumed you were lying about your talent.” He let out a lighthearted chuckle as he continued. “You don’t really seem like you’d be that good with kids.”

“Do you wanna die?” Maki’s glare caused him to freeze in place.

“Come on Maki, its not that big a deal.” Kaito intervened. His calmness in the face of the storm brewing around him seemed to stun both of his travelling companions into silence. “He was gonna find out eventually whether or not you told him, right? I mean, he _is_ the ultimate detective.”

She fiddled with her pigtails in frustration. “You could have at least pretended to be surprised…”

Kaito’s reasoning didn’t quite satisfy Maki, but it did calm her enough to get rid of that menacing shadow that she always got under her eyes in situations like this. The involuntary jerk forward that they all made in their seats marked the end of any discussion of this sudden reveal for the time being. An unspoken agreement passed between the three that this debate was to be put off until they were alone. After all, they can’t just start an argument in front of a princess like that!

They were greeted by Sonia and Gundham the moment they exited the plane on to the private runway. Gundham was wearing his usual outfit of a trenchcoat with chains on it and a scarf, though this time his scarf was a bright, regal purple with gold embroidering depicting mythological creatures. Gundham’s new fancy get up was overshadowed by the elaborate dress and tiara with jewels that Kaito was pretty certain were more valuable than all his organs combined that Sonia had donned.

“What’s with the get-up”? Maki enquired, voicing the question that all three of them were undoubtably wondering.

“Maki, please!” Sonia assured her as she extended her arm and displayed her palm in an assertive manner. “It is only natural that I am at my best when greeting you all in my homeland!”

“Tch, a foolish sentiment.” Gundham remarked as he crossed his arms and his hamsters crawled out of his scarf. “Even those blinded by the twisted weavings of Erebus the Treacherous could see that you are always at your most beautiful!”

Sonia brought a hand covered in an elaborate silk glove to her face to cover hard she was blushing. She took a moment to stare longingly at him before shaking her head and collecting herself.

“Anyways, welcome to the proud land of Novoselic! Please, come with me. I wish to show around the ‘digs’ of the royal palace!” She motioned for them to follow and sauntered off with Gundham’s hand in hers. As the servants of the royal palace carried their belongings off of the plane and into the limousine they were to ride to the palace in, Shuichi looked to Kaito with nervousness in his eyes as it truly dawned on him that there was no turning back from this. Kaito just shot his sidekick a thumbs up and that same smile he always wore, completely sure in himself that everything would turn out fine.

* * *

“The guest rooms are just up ahead. Sally forth!” Sonia proclaimed as she lifted her entirely too elaborate dress to run up the stairs of the palace enthusiastically. She was putting on a mask of professionalism and regality, but even Kaito could tell she was brimming with excitement to have invited friends over to stay at her place. The circumstances of their visit would ultimately make it impossible to enjoy their time here to the fullest, but he made a promise to himself he’d do just that, crazy conspiracies or no.

As Sonia motioned for one of the servants to open the doors to their rooms for her, Kaito could scarcely believe what he was seeing. Each once of these rooms was easily twice the size of the classrooms in Hope’s Peak, let alone his room at his grandparent’s house. He had kinda figured that the ultimate princess would have a nice place, but this was ridiculous.

“Are you seeing this crap, Shuichi?” Kaito asked as he turned to face Shuichi, who was a lot taller than he remembered.

“Why are you in my room?” This guy who Kaito just realized was not Shuichi asked as he pushed up his glasses and looked down at him.

“Oh! Sorry, Sonia was just showing me around and-“

“Just get out.” The stranger demanded with annoyance audible in every word. He motioned towards the door without looking at it, and Kaito hurriedly scampered out. As soon as he left the room, he saw his friends waiting for him at the end of the hall.

“Oh, there you are!” The guy who was actually Shuichi remarked as Kaito left that other guy’s room. “Where were you?”

“Just roaming around, you know how it is.” Kaito reassured them with a wave of his hand. That hand travelled to his hip as he continued. “That guy in the room over there sure wasn’t happy with that answer though.”

“Is that so…” Sonia enquired as her expression grew dark. She was almost as scary as Maki when she did that.

“Well, yeah, but its really not a big deal –“

Sonia lifted her dress up to run faster once more, though her enthusiasm was replaced by an uncharacteristically cold anger this time. She reached the door if the stranger’s room and pounded on it with strength that surprised everyone watching except Gundham.

The stranger opened the door to see Sonia and company standing before him with expressions that ranged between confused and angry.

“What do you want?” He demanded with an amount of venom in his voice that would have gotten any other man executed for talking to the princess like that in her own castle.

“Byakuya! I will not allow you to treat our classmates with such flagrant disrespect!” Sonia shouted at him.

“Oh, these plebeians are our classmates?” He retorted with a smirk. “I wasn’t able to tell these unwashed degenerates were allowed in to Hope’s Peak-“ His smug expression faded in an instant and he recoiled slightly upon noticing that Maki was in this group.

…

“So you’re here.” Byakuya remarked as he adjusted his suit upon regaining his composure.

“So I am.” Maki’s response was just as curt.

She sure made some bizarre friends at her job.

“Apologies for my guest’s rude behavior, you all.” Sonia stated, turning to Byakuya with venom in her voice as she said the word guest. “As ‘stoked’ as I would be to show him to the dungeons, my parents have requested to meet you three.” She walked off towards the main chambers as her usual regal smile returned to her face. “Sally forth!”

“Wait, they have dungeons here!?” Shuichi asked.

* * *

Kaito had thought that the guest rooms were oversized, but the throne room was another thing all together. He’d never seen a space so big in his life. As he gazed at the two ends of the room and admired the grand works of art that adorned its walls, Kaito was filled with awe at the fact that guests were only allowed to walk on the spotless purple carpet that stretched from the entrance of the room to the two thrones at the end of it. The grand marble pillars holding up the ceiling covered in rich tapestries presumably depicting important events in Novoselic’s history added to the feeling of being somewhere he didn’t belong.

“Welcome home, Sonia.” The man on the throne exclaimed, though even Kaito could tell his enthusiasm was forced. He stroked his blonde beard with its small amount of grey hairs as he evaluated the trio before him. The woman next to him was silent, her bright green eyes scanning the three of them coldly, though a soft smile grew on her face as she saw Maki.

“Thank you, father!” Sonia responded enthusiastically as she made her way up to the throne after motioning for the trio to stop a few feet away from her parents. She had no genuine fears for their safety around her friends, but tradition was important to the people of Novoselic. “Everyone, these are my parents; Vendrick and Anastasia Nevermind.”

Shuichi and Maki bowed upon the introduction, and Kaito followed suit once he realized he was supposed to do that.

“Father, these are the three I was telling you about.” Sonia said as she gestured towards the trio.

“The ones who came to investigate the failing tradition, yes?” Vendrick asked, the authority his position held audible in his voice.

“Yes. They are talented classmates of mine from Hope’s Peak. I have no doubt they will succeed!” Sonia proclaimed.

“Let’s hope they fare better than the last ones.” Anastasia remarked as she put her head in her hand and slouched back in her throne.

“Last ones?” Maki inquired, seeing as Shuichi seemed unable to summon the words to do so himself.

“I had hoped to discuss this with you more delicately,” Sonia explained in an attempt to ease their worries. “But yes, you are not the first investigators we have contracted to handle this case. Many people from inside Novoselic have tried to solve this, but so far all have been unsuccessful.”

“What do you mean ‘unsuccessful’?” Shuichi asked.

“They probably just got stumped from the case being too hard.” Kaito guessed. “But that’s definitely not gonna happen to us!”

“To think such witless worms would stain these halls with their presence…” Gundham remarked with clenched teeth.

“That is… partially correct.” Sonia said as she scratched the back of her head.

Kaito saw the color leave Shuichi’s face and guessed that this wasn’t about to end well.

“While most of them have simply given up after not finding any leads, some of them… how shall we say…”

“They died?” Maki interjected.

“We don’t know that!” Sonia corrected her with absolutely zero confidence in her voice.

“But you haven’t heard from them.” Shuichi finished her thought. “Why did I ever agree to this…”

Kaito knew this was his time to shine.

“Come on, Shuichi, I already told you; it’s gonna be okay!” Kaito exclaimed as he made his way toward Shuichi.

“Kaito, you don’t know that!” Shuichi shouted, shrugging off Kaito’s attempt to put his arm around him.

“He does.” Maki added, blunt as ever. It caught Kaito and Shuichi off guard to see her stand up and grab Shuichi’s hand with her own. “I promise.”

Shuichi didn’t respond and kept staring at the floor, but his hands stopped shaking as badly as they were before.

“How many times have I told you?” Kaito asked Shuichi, lowering his voice somewhat. “The impossible is possible…” 

“All we have to do is make it so.” His sidekick finished his sentence.

A meek smile crossed Shuichi’s lips as he adjusted his cap so that it was no longer blocking his eyes.

“Alright, let’s hear the details about this case.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shuichis a good boy we love shuichi dont we folks

**Author's Note:**

> if i ever take too long to update go bully me on twitter https://twitter.com/Butternubs3


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